Following this afternoon’s game, the Blue Jays have optioned 1B/DH Rowdy Tellez to Triple-A Buffalo, per Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star. The move leaves the team without its everyday designated hitter. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced, though Shi Davidi of Sportsnet suggests that outfielder Billy McKinney could be activated from the injured list.
Tellez has been an everyday player for the Blue Jays, toggling between first base and designated hitter alongside Justin Smoak. Despite an extended look, Tellez has failed to make good on the offensive potential he flashed in a brief big-league stint last season. The 24-year-old has managed just 17 walks this season, good for a 5.9% walk rate and a .281 OBP. He’s slugged 14 home runs, but the overall offensive output has not been enough to justify his presence in the lineup every day. On the bright side, he’ll receive consistent at-bats in the minors, hopefully making the necessary adjustments to vault himself back into a Major League batting order.
With Tellez no longer on the roster and a vacancy at DH, it seems as though the Blue Jays will have a few options as to how they construct their lineup. If McKinney is indeed the corresponding roster move, he could slot into a regular role in right field, while Teoscar Hernandez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looking like the most likely candidates to pick up the bulk of the DH reps—though it’s unlikely the Blue Jays would relegate Guerrero to playing just one side of the ball this early in his development. If not McKinney, Cavan Biggio, who has shown impressive versatility in his debut, could be in line for more regular playing time in the outfield.
too rowdy? pardon me!
Bichette?
Dalton Pompey
Of course
McKinney maybe?
No Pompey coming off il
Pat Tabler
Hahahaha
Why is there no upvote button on this site? I’d smash a hole in my phone to upvote that comment.
Not a big leaguer, good riddance, vlad Jr. should follow, also not a big leaguer.
What? Then there are 150 players currently in MLB that aren’t big leaguers.
Go to troll school
He seems to know how to be a troll already. Dalrob fell for it.
He just turned 20 a few months ago, and it playing league average ball in the Majors. If he’s not a big leaguer, then half of the league isn’t either.
WHY TORONTO favourite player
He is .2 WAR below replacement level by Baseball Reference and Fangraphs.
Trade coming?
If there was a trade coming, then wouldn’t the young players be coming up for the Jays instead of going down? They are not going to be buyers this year.
They could be still Trading like Stroman and getting back a DH type guy on a MLB Roster back as part of deal.
highly doubt their main target is a 1B/DH that’s already on a 40 man roster
If Stroman is being traded for any player fit to DH then Atkins should be fired along with Shapiro. Stroman is the key to Starting Pitching following by more Starting Pitching.
Jays take on money to get more/better prospects?
Toronto is not going to bet on Stroman for 2021-2024. Nor should they. Trading his control time is the smart move. Keeping him to cover up their 2019 pitching deficit is not.
@Matt Galvin — perhaps he is onto to something— Stroman to NYY traded for prospect plus Encarnacion going home to the Blue Jays to play last year of his contract? If Edwin is thinking of retiring ( he is 36 now) it would be appropriate for it to happen in Toronto.
If that idea is being entertained, and I highly doubt it, take Smoak and Stroman for Encarnacion and prospects, including Deivi Garcia and Abreu.
Dalton Pompey will come up
My money’s on Jimmertree getting the call though…
Sounds like someone could use Wil Myers?!
Myers deal in 3, 2, 1.
stroman for renfroe and a prospect
Tempting but no dice. Currently working out a deal with the White Sox, I hear they just drafted Tatis Jr.’s younger brother
I’m sure Tellez will be recalled soon. He belongs in the big leagues.
Although who can fathom these Blue Jay decisions.
The tank continues.
so jimmer you complaining or not? hard to read if you think this is a hood move or bad.
Jimmer may have meant head-scratching moves. Blue Jays certainly are consistently weird.
I like Tellez. He is just starting to hit the other way with power. He still swings at garbage fastballs in his eyes though.
He’ll sort it out in AAA I guess. I think he’ll eat up AAA pitching. He needs to learn at the big league level. I would leave him in the big leagues.
A year from now we’ll have a better idea of what Tellez can be at the big league level. He needs to get himself in the best shape of his life in 2020. He has potential.
I wouldn’t be quick to rush another OF into the big leagues. I doubt they intend to deal McKinney. I would have had him in AAA getting at bats.
I think sending him down is because you want cavan to play every day’ you want vlad to play every day but you also want Smoak and Sogard playing every day to showcase them especially sogard while hot.
It’s usually a safe bet that he is.
Hopefully Brandon Drury And Hernandez are next
Hopefully not for too long..
Opens ABs for Justin Smoak prior to the deadline while giving Tellez the opportunity to play everyday at AAA. Showcase Smoak and hopefully flip him for a low level pitching prospect or 2 while shedding some of the money owed.
Beyond Marcus Stroman & Ken Giles, Daniel Hudson, Smoak and one of Sogard / Galvis are the logical trade chips. Keep Aaron Sanchez and let him try to find himself in the rest of the lost season. The surprising guy id make untouchable unless blown away is Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Hopefully he can figure it out down there. I fear this is the type of hitter he’ll be though. And the way the games played today, that doesn’t bode well for his chances in the future.
McKinney probably coming up.
Tellez can work on some things in AAA for a couple weeks. Smoak needs to be traded. Smoak also needs to step his game up.
Shout to all my lost boys, we rowdy
I still have nightmares about all of the Skrillex that was played by my college dorm mate.
Rowdy hasn’t been as good lately, but he’s had a lot of big hits overall for the Jays this season. I don’t mind seeing him working on his game a bit in AAA, but was surprised to read this announcement. Based on performance, certainly Hernandez and Drury are big disappointments and in my opinion should not be on a major league roster at this point. Derek Law also I’m not sure why he’s still here other than they think everyone else available is even worse? Like many things with Shapiro/Atkins, it seems like a mystery…..doesn’t make any sense? Is there really a plan?
Plan? Probably, yes.
Execution of said plan? That’s the question.
Hernandez DFA!! Wayyy over due
Be patient with Drury.He’s hard nosed.
He’ll be better this half. Just gotta stay healthy
I agree with you. Looking a Drury for a while, he should be much better, which still makes me wonder about his neck or the neck meds.
Drury has everything to be a very good mlb ball player esp at 3rd base.
McKinney isn’t on the Injured List. He is in AAA & has been since he was sent down a couple of weeks ago
Ok, now the REAL reason for this move
BJ’s don’t like having a guy as the DH, they like using that role to rotate guys to get a day off.
They plan to showcase Smoak over the next couple of weeks, meaning that Tellez would be sitting on the bench while JS gets all the playing time, so why not send Rowdy down, let him get regular AB’s and then when Smoak is dealt Tellez is recalled.
Simple as that
Certainly a possibility, or at least part of the rationale. Tellez definitely needs to improve on a few things as well so I’m sure the move isn’t without some intent for development as well.